CAP Fellow Life
About me: Hello, my name is Chaoren Koh! I grew up mostly in Katy and have spent the last several years throughout Texas, from Austin for my undergraduate studies, to Bryan/College Station and Temple for medical school, and San Antonio for residency. I’m excited to continue the next step in my medical journey back in the Houston area. In my free time, I enjoy trying new foods, playing board games, doing escape rooms, and watching movies!
Why I Chose UT CAP Fellowship: I chose the UT CAP Fellowship because I was looking for a program with a strong sense of community, diverse clinical experiences, and opportunities for the future. During my interview, I felt that the fellows were genuinely supported by the leadership and that they truly cared about helping us grow and succeed. This ultimately made UTHealth feel like the right fit for me, and the opportunity to train in Houston was an added bonus.
Why I Love Houston: Besides being close to family, I love Houston for the food, the variety of things to do, and all of the events and conventions throughout the year. There is always something going on, and I enjoy having so many different options to explore and experience.
My Plans Moving Forward: I see my future self continuing to work in the Houston area, helping children and their families navigate life’s challenges.
Why I chose UTHealth Houston Child and Adolescent Fellowship: I chose UTHealth for fellowship because of the incredible variety of clinical experiences, the genuine sense of community I felt during my interview, and the opportunity to be closer to family. I was drawn to a program filled with people who are passionate about child psychiatry and enjoy the work they do. Since starting fellowship, those initial impressions have only been reinforced by everyone from our program director and APD to the staff from the many different specialties we interface with. The field of child psychiatry is enormous, and across multiple clinical sites and rotations, I have found myself thinking, “I could do this forever.” I enjoy learning here and working alongside others who are passionate, hardworking, and supportive. There is a familial atmosphere within the program, and Houston itself also offers so much to enjoy outside of work, making UTHealth a place for professional growth and a place to call home!
Why I Chose the UTHealth Houston Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Hello my name is Syed Hasnain, DO, and I chose UTHealth Houston because I felt genuinely supported by the program leadership from the very beginning, especially Dr. Babatope and Dr. Huynh. I was drawn to the program’s robust clinical training and the opportunity to learn from faculty who are deeply invested in fellow education and development. Houston is also home for me, so being able to return to my community, train here, and ultimately contribute to the mental health of children and families in the area made UTHealth Houston an especially meaningful choice.
About Me: Hello! My name is Chika Nwachukwu, and I am a CAP-1 fellow. I am originally from Houston, TX, so it is wonderful to be back home! I attended undergraduate at Texas A&M University (whoop!) and completed medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, TX. I then completed my general psychiatry residency at Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles, CA. I chose child and adolescent psychiatry because I enjoy working with young people and families and helping support mental health and well-being early in life. I am especially interested in providing compassionate, culturally responsive care to children and adolescents from diverse backgrounds. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, exploring Houston’s food and art scene, and watching sports—especially the Texans, Aggie football, and Rockets.
Why I Chose UT CAP Fellowship: I was drawn to the UT CAP fellowship because of the diversity of its training sites, clinical experiences, and patient populations. During my interviews, I appreciated how welcoming the faculty were and how genuinely interested they were in getting to know me as a person. Now, as a current fellow, I have found that same sense of support continues throughout fellowship. The faculty are invested in helping fellows grow both clinically and professionally and are supportive of our individual career goals. I also value the program’s strong emphasis on teaching and the many opportunities to learn from faculty and share knowledge with others.
Why I Love Houston: Houston is home. I love how diverse the city is and how you can meet people from so many different backgrounds and cultures. If you love trying different foods, Houston is a great place to be, with an incredible variety of cuisines from around the world. I also appreciate that Houston offers the amenities and opportunities of a major city while remaining relatively affordable. There is always something to do, whether it’s attending a sports game, going to a concert, visiting the rodeo, or exploring one of the city’s many restaurants, museums, and cultural events. Most of all, I love how friendly and welcoming the people are.
My Plans Moving Forward: I plan to stay in Houston after completing fellowship and hope to build my career here. I look forward to working with children, adolescents, and transitional-age youth, particularly in an outpatient setting where I can build long-term relationships with patients and families.
About Me : My name is David Soto. I’m originally from Houston, Texas. I completed medical school in Alabama and psychiatry residency in South Carolina before returning home for fellowship. Outside of medicine, I’m an avid golfer and a huge foodie. I love traveling, trying new foods, and learning about different cultures.
Why I Chose UT CAP Fellowship: I chose UTHealth’s CAP Fellowship because of the diversity of clinical rotations, the strong leadership, and the opportunity to train with a wide variety of patient populations. Being able to receive excellent training while returning home to Houston made it an easy choice for me.
Why I Love Houston: Houston has always been home, and I love how diverse and welcoming the city is. The people are kind, the food scene is incredible, and there is always something new to experience. The diversity of the city is one of the things I appreciate most.
My Plans Moving Forward: I hope to remain in the Houston area after fellowship and continue serving the community that I grew up in. My current clinical interests include ADHD and eating disorders, and I look forward to continuing to develop those interests throughout my training.
About Me: Hello, I am Yuisa Perez! Originally from Puerto Rico, I bring warmth, curiosity, and a strong sense of community to everything I do. I enjoy connecting with new people, building meaningful relationships, and creating positive experiences both personally and professionally. Outside of work, I love reading, spending quality time with my family and 2 dogs. I like exploring new Hispanic restaurants, especially Mexican restaurants
What I Love About Houston : What I love most about Houston is its diversity and sense of community. The city brings together so many cultures, flavors, and experiences, which makes it feel vibrant and welcoming. I especially enjoy meeting people from different backgrounds, and being part of a community that feels both dynamic and connected.
Why UTHealth Houston : I am drawn to UTHealth Houston because of its diverse clinical setting and strong commitment to education and fellow development. The program’s continued growth and expansion reflect a forward thinking vision that aligns with my own professional goals. I value leadership that prioritizes fellow wellness and creates a supportive environment where each individual is encouraged to pursue their unique career path.
Future Plans : I plan to deepen my involvement in child and adolescent psychiatry by teaching and mentoring residents and medical students, while continuing to grow in both inpatient and outpatient settings. I am passionate about serving individuals from all backgrounds, with a special commitment to supporting Spanish-speaking families. My goal is to combine clinical care, education, and advocacy to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the communities I serve.
About Me: Hello, I am Sandy Juste! I’m originally from south Florida but I’ve lived in many places including outside of the country in the Caribbean. My journey in medicine has been fueled by my Haitian heritage, which has instilled in me the values of work ethic, dedication, and resilience. I attended UF for my undergraduate studies (Go Gators!), Georgetown for graduate school, and UMHS for medical school. I continue to have a strong commitment to serving minority and underserved communities. In my spare time I enjoy working out, spending time with family, traveling, and experiencing other cultures.
Why I Chose UTHealth Houston CAP Fellowship: I chose UTHealth for CAP fellowship because it is a well-rounded program with diverse rotations. I was looking for a program that would allow me to gain experience with unique populations and all psychopathologies so I could be well-equipped to work in any setting. During my interview I was drawn to UT because the leadership seemed very supportive and authentic and as a fellow that has proven to be true. This program has wonderful faculty and staff that pour into you and provides great mentorship.
Why I Love Houston: Houston is an awesome city that I am enjoying. It really is a melting pot and the most racially and ethnically diverse place I have lived. You can easily immerse yourself in different cultures and find unique food and various experiences. There is a generous amount of entertainment here that helps me relax and relieve stress including concerts, sports games, restaurants, and shopping centers. In addition, Houston has an affordable cost of living and many beautiful suburbs that can offer a nice quality of life and safe space for raising a family.
My Plans Moving Forward: Following fellowship, I plan to stay here in Houston and likely work in an outpatient setting. I plan to see children and adults but specifically women as I have a profound interest in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry as well.
About Me
Greetings! I am Pooja Chaudhary, a second-year Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellow and Chief Fellow in the CAP fellowship program. I grew up in India, where I completed medical school, an internship with UNICEF, and residency training in Preventive and Social Medicine, with a focus on child and adolescent mental health. My interest in mental health promotion, behavioral sciences, and prevention led me to pursue a Master’s in Public Health at UTHealth and a LEND fellowship focused on leadership and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
My journey at UTHealth has continued to bring together many of my passions. During residency, I pursued the child psychiatry fast track and psychotherapy training, and I am now completing my CAP fellowship with a particular interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD, psychotherapy, and the intersection of clinical care, education, research, and public health. I am also honored to serve as Chief Fellow, where I have the opportunity to support our fellows, collaborate with faculty and leadership, and help strengthen the learning experience within our program.
When I’m not at the hospital or spending time with my kids, you will find me working with clay on a pottery wheel, sculpting, painting, getting lost in a good bookstore, or exploring Houston’s culinary scene.
Why I Chose UTHealth Houston
I chose UTHealth for its strong academic reputation, commitment to psychiatric research, opportunities for mentorship and collaboration, and, most importantly, its people. Looking back, I feel incredibly grateful that I made that choice.
Over the years, I have experienced UTHealth not just as a place to train, but as a community that has supported me through different stages of my professional and personal journey. From residency to fellowship, I have had the privilege of learning from inspiring mentors, working alongside wonderful colleagues, and growing into the kind of physician and educator I hope to become.
Why I Love Houston
Houston has become much more than the city where I trained; it has become home for my family. We share a special connection with this city and are grateful to be building the next chapter of our lives here. I love Houston for its incredible diversity, world-class medical community, vibrant culture, warm hospitality, and, of course, its amazing food scene!
As a parent, I also appreciate the many opportunities Houston offers families, from its schools and museums to parks, libraries, and countless activities for children. There is something wonderfully welcoming about Houston: you can build a community here while still discovering something new around every corner.
My Plans Moving Forward
One of the most rewarding parts of this journey has been finding my professional tribe at UTHealth. As I look forward to the next chapter, I hope to continue combining clinical care, psychotherapy, research, education, mentorship, and advocacy within academic child and adolescent psychiatry.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have come this far, and even more excited about what lies ahead.
Here’s to lifelong learning, meaningful connections, and the continued pursuit of mental wellness!”
About Me: Hi There, my name is Margaret Garrett! I am a native Texan and a longtime Houstonian. I grew up in a big family full of rambunctious siblings, unconventional pets, near-constant chaos, and unconditional love. I moved 90 miles away to attend Texas A&M University (whoop!) for my undergraduate studies in genetics before returning to Houston for medical school and residency at UT Health. I was part of the combined track, so I entered the CAP fellowship after my third year of residency. My big family has since grown – with four weddings and three babies last year (including my own!) – and the chaos continues to keep me busy, but that’s just how I like it!
Why I chose UTHealth Houston: For personal reasons, I chose UTHealth Houston because I felt comfortable with the people here and envisioned myself easily settling into the supportive culture of the program.
For more academic reasons, I knew UT would offer a robust training experience in the nation’s largest medical center that would prepare me for any future career path.
Why I love Houston: I love the diversity of people, cultures, and (most of all) food! I also love going to sporting events, including Astros, Texans, and Rockets games. There is never a shortage of things to do or places to explore. If you feel like getting out of the hustle and bustle of city life, you are just a short drive from a beach (south) or a lake (north). I have lived in Houston for most of my life and continue to find new things to see and do every month!
My plans moving forward: I would like to stay in the Houston and work with children, teens and young adults. I am interested in everything from OCD to PTSD and look forward to finding my niche in the world of child psychiatry.
About me: Hi there! My name is Madeline Bruman. I am a current second year child and adolescent psychiatry fellow and co-chief at UTHealth Houston. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I completed my undergraduate training at Texas A&M, medical school training at the American University of the Caribbean, and residency training in South Florida at Memorial Healthcare System. I am drawn to the dynamic nature of the pediatric population in psychiatry. Each patient is unique with varying developmental stages and diverse family structures. The opportunity to make a meaningful impact during a critical phase of development to drive lifelong change, fuels my passion to work with children and families collaboratively. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and family, and our dog Lilee. I love any activity by the water, playing tennis, meeting new people, Mexican food, and traveling to new places.
Why I chose UTHealth Houston: During my fellowship interviews, I felt that UTHealth Houston leadership had a sincere passion for teaching fellows and ensuring future success. Speaking to current fellows, I could see the culture of the program being collaborative, friendly, and that the fellows enjoyed working with each other and faculty. Not to mention, being in the largest medical center in the country, various training sites, elective opportunities, and the different populations of patients speak for itself to incredible training!
Why I love Houston: I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Living in other states and countries, I now have a greater appreciation for all Houston has to offer! Number 1-the people in Houston are kind and welcoming, easy going, with a huge pride for sports in the community-which is a blast for going to baseball, football, and basketball games. A close number 2- the food. Tex-Mex is phenomenal, and difficult to find anywhere else in the country! (trust me I have tried unsuccessfully!) Besides Tex-Mex, almost every cuisine is offered in Houston, the restaurants are endless! Number 3- events, whether is sporting events, museums, the rodeo, parades, concerts, you name it and you will find something fun going on in Houston. The list can go on and on (low cost of living, airports for easy travel), but those are my top few!
My plans moving forward: I would like to pursue an outpatient practice as continuity of care is one of many aspects I enjoy about psychiatry.
